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SAGE KE Bulletin Board

Eukarion antioxidant efficacy in Flies

6 June 2002

Matt Kaeberlein

Dr. Melov,

I wonder if you could comment on a couple of questions I have.
First, if the drugs are not bioavailable orally, why do the authors
observe a decrease in fly life span at dosages similar to those used in C.
elegans? Clearly, the drugs are having some effect on the flies. Second,
you cite several studies on rodents. Do you have any data about the life
span of wild type mice treated with these drugs? These experiments must
have been done by now and would much more directly address the ability of
these drugs to affect aging in rodents. Third, do you have any solid
evidence about the mechanism of action for life span extension by the EUK
drugs in C. elegans? Do the drugs actually get into the cells or are they
just detoxifying radicals in the gut? Perhaps the drugs are simply
affecting ROS production by the E. coli in the media?